Somewhere in a secret place.
Gu Huaixin, his long hair streaked with black and white, sat cross-legged on a pure white meditation cushion, playing Go with someone.
The board was made of Xiaoming Twisted Yellow Wood, its grain clear and pleasing to the eye, said to soothe the mind and nourish the eyes.
The man sitting opposite him looked about fifty. He didn't seem particularly old, and his refined bearing stood out as he sat on a pure black cushion.
The stones in his hand were the opposite color.
After a long consideration, he placed a white stone.
Its position was strange, completely removed from the ongoing battle. If he meant to claim territory, there were far better places to play. It looked like a completely useless move.
He seemed to play useless moves all the time, and so the white stones had already fallen far behind across the board.
Gu Huaixin had the upper hand, but showed no arrogance. He simply played another proper move, locking in his winning position in the upper-left corner.
The refined man picked up another white stone and pondered for a long while. "After all these years, waiting for you to make a mistake even once really hasn't been easy."
Gu Huaixin played quickly and decisively compared to his opponent. But he didn't rush him or show the slightest impatience. He only said, "In the end, you did get your wish. Goes to show that if you live long enough, anything is possible."
The remark didn't sound quite right, because just from their appearances, it was clear there was an age difference between them. Their actual ages were even farther apart. Coming from the younger man, the words carried a hint of mockery.
But the refined man wasn't the least bit offended. Instead, he